Effect of cinnamon supplementation on resistin and ghrelin in obese diabetic men

The object of this study was to determine the effect of Cinnamomum zeylanicum (cinnamon) on glycemic/lipid balance, resistin and ghrelin. 84 obese Type 2 diabetic patients were assigned in 2 groups which consumed 8 g and 4 g of cinnamon powder. Anthropometric, hormonal and biochemical parameters were measured before and after 10 weeks of treatment. We found that cinnamon decrease BMI and waist circumference respectively of -5.52±1.47 kg/m² and -10.72±6.12 cm for group 2 of and a decrease of -4.45±1.46 kg/m² and -6.86±5.5 cm in group 1. Our results also showed a decrease of the glucose level of -1,173±0, 75 mmol/L in group 2 and -0, 8932±0, 72 mmol/L in group 1 and a decrease of insulin levels of -3.24±2.85 μUI/L in group 2 and -2.54±2.8 μUI/L in group 1. The assays showed that resistin secretion decreased by -2.08±1.09 ng/mL for the 8 g dose and -1.59±0.926 ng/mL for the 4 g dose, and there was an increase in ghrelin secretion of +1.55±2.21 μg/mL for the 8 g dose and + 2.49±1.13 μg/mL for the 4 g dose. The results confirmed the anti-hyperglycemic and hypolipidemic effects of cinnamon opening a new approach to studying how the compounds derived from certain spices regulate the endogenous release of hormones such as ghrelin and resistin for therapeutic intervention

Variation in volatile leaf oils of 13 Eucalyptus species harvested from Souinet Arboreta (Tunisia)

Hydrodistillation of the dried leaves of 13 species of the genus Eucalyptus L' HER., viz., E. bicostata MAIDEN, BLAKELY & SIMMONDS, E. cinerca F. WELL. ex BENT U., E. exertra F. MUELL., E. gigantea HOOK. F. E. gunnii HOOK. F., E. macarthurii DEANE & MAIDEN., E. macrorrhyuclut F. MUELL., E. maidenii F. WELL., E. odorala BEHR. E. pauciflora SIEBER ex SPRENGEL. E. stderoxylon A. CUNN. ex WOOLLS, E. tercticornis SM., and E. viminalis LA BILL., harvested from Souinet arboreta (region of Ain Draaham, north of Tunisia) in June 2006, afforded essential oils in yields varying from 0.5+/-0.2 to 3.9+/-0.4%, dependent on the species. E. cinerea and E. exertra provided the highest and the lowest percentage of essential oil amongst all the species examined, respectively. Analysis by GC (RI) and GC/MS allowed the identification of 142 components, representing 81.5 to 98.9% of the total oil. The contents of the different samples varied according to the species. The main components were 1,8-cineole followed by cryptone, spathulenol (4), p-cymene (2), viridiflorol (6), globulol (7), beta-eudesmol, alpha-terpineol (5), limonene (8), D-piperitone, alpha-pinene (3), cuminal, and gamma-eudesmol. The principal component and the hierarchical cluster analyses separated the 13 Eucalyptus leaf essential oils into three groups, each constituting a chemotype

Variation in volatile leaf oils of five eucalyptus species harvested from Jbel Abderrahman Arboreta (Tunisia)

Hydrodistillation of the dried leaves of five species of the genus Eucalyptus L'HER., viz., E. dundasii Maiden, E. globulus LABILL., E. kitsoniana MAIDEN, E. leucoxylon F. MUELL., and E. populifolia HOOK., harvested from Jbel Abderrahman arboreta (region of Nabeul, northeast of Tunisia) in April 2006, afforded essential oils in yields varying from 0.9 +/- 0.3 to 3.8 +/- 0.6%, dependent on the species. E. globulus and E. Kitsoniana provided the highest and the lowest percentage of essential oil amongst the species examined, respectively. Analysis by GC (RI) and GC/MS allowed the identification of 127 compounds, representing 93.8 to 98.7% of the total oil composition. The contents of the different samples varied according to the species. The main components were 1,8-cineole (2; 4.7-59.2%), followed by alpha-pinene (1; 1.9-23.6%), trans-pinocarveol (6; 3.5-21.6%), globulol (8; 4.3-12.8%), p-cymene (3; 0.5-6.7%), alpha-terpineol (1.5-4.5%), borneol (0.2-4.4%), pinocarvone (1.1-3.8%), aromadendrene (1.4-3.4%), isospathulenol (0.0-1.9%), fenchol (4; 0.1-2.5%), limonene (1.0-2.4%), epiglobulol (0.6-2.1%), viridiflorol (9; 0.8-1.8%), and spathulenol (0.1-1.6%). E. leucoxylon was the richest species in 2. Principal component analysis (PCA) and hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) separated the five Eucalyptus leaf essential oils into four groups, each constituting a chemotype

Variation in volatile leaf oils of seven Eucalyptus species harvested from Zerniza Arboreta (Tunisia)

Leaves of seven species of the genus Eucalyptus L'HER., viz., E. cladocalyx F. MUELL., E. citriodora Hook., E. diversicolor F. MUELL., E. fasciculosa F. MUELL., E. grandis W. Hill, E. ovata LABILL., and E. botryoides SM., were harvested from Zerniza arboreta (region of Sejnene, northwest of Tunisia) in June 2007. Of the latter species, leaves were collected from trees having two origins, Morocco and Italy. Hydrodistillation of the dried leaves provided essential oils in yields varying from 0.4 +/- 0.0 to 3.3 +/- 0.1%, according to the species. E. citriodora had the highest mean percentage of essential oil amongst the species examined, whereas the lowest one was obtained for E. botryoides originating from Morocco. Analysis by GC (RI) and GC/MS allowed the identification of 140 compounds, representing 92.5 to 99.4% of the total oil composition. The contents of the different samples varied according to the species. The main components were 1,8-cineole (2), followed by alpha-pinene (1), p-cymene, borneol, alpha-terpineol, cryptone, spathulenol, trans-pinocarveol (4), bicyclogermacrene (5), caryophyllene oxide, and beta-phellandrene. Principal components analysis and hierarchical cluster analysis separated the eight Eucalyptus leaf essential oils into five groups, each constituting a chemotype

Correlation Between Chemical Composition and Antibacterial Activity of Essential Oils from Fifteen Eucalyptus Species Growing in the Korbous and Jbel Abderrahman Arboreta (North East Tunisia)

The essential oils of fifteen Eucalyptus species harvested from the Jbel Abderrahman and Korbous arboreta (North East Tunisia) were screened for their antibacterial activities by the agar disc diffusion method. Eighteen major components as identified by GC/FID and GC/MS were selected for a study of the chemical and biological activity variability. The main one was 1,8-cineole, followed by spathulenol, trans-pinocarveol, α-pinene, p-cymene, globulol, cryptone, β-phellandrene, viridiflorol, borneol, limonene and isospathulenol. The chemical principal component analysis identified five species groups and subgroups, where each group constituted a chemotype, however that of the values of zone diameter of the inhibition (zdi) identified six groups of Eucalyptus oils, characterized by their antibacterial inhibition ability. The strongest activity was shown by E. platypus oil against Enterococcus faecalis and by E. lamannii oil against Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli. A correlation between the levels of some major components and the antibacterial activities was observed

Chemical composition of 8 <it>eucalyptus</it> species' essential oils and the evaluation of their antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral activities

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>In 1957, Tunisia introduced 117 species of <it>Eucalyptus</it>; they have been used as fire wood, for the production of mine wood and to fight erosion. Actually, <it>Eucalyptus</it> essential oil is traditionally used to treat respiratory tract disorders such as pharyngitis, bronchitis, and sinusitis. A few investigations were reported on the biological activities of <it>Eucalyptus</it> oils worldwide. In Tunisia, our previous works conducted in 2010 and 2011 had been the first reports to study the antibacterial activities against reference strains. At that time it was not possible to evaluate their antimicrobial activities against clinical bacterial strains and other pathogens such as virus and fungi.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The essential oils of eight <it>Eucalyptus</it> species harvested from the Jbel Abderrahman, Korbous (North East Tunisia) and Souinet arboreta (North of Tunisia) were evaluated for their antimicrobial activities by disc diffusion and microbroth dilution methods against seven bacterial isolates: <it>Haemophilus influenzae</it>, <it>Klebsiella pneumoniae</it>, <it>Pseudomonas aeruginosa</it>, <it>Staphylococcus aureus</it>, <it>Streptococcus agalactiae</it>, <it>Streptococcus pneumoniae</it> and <it>Streptococcus pyogenes</it>. In addition, the bactericidal, fungicidal and the antiviral activities of the tested oils were carried out.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Twenty five components were identified by GC/FID and GC/MS. These components were used to correlate with the biological activities of the tested oils. The chemical principal component analysis identified three groups, each of them constituted a chemotype. According to the values of zone diameter and percentage of the inhibition (zdi, % I, respectively), four groups and subgroups of bacterial strains and three groups of fungal strains were characterized by their sensitivity levels to <it>Eucalyptus</it> oils. The cytotoxic effect and the antiviral activity varied significantly within <it>Eucalyptus</it> species oils.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p><it>E. odorata</it> showed the strongest activity against <it>S. aureus</it>, <it>H. influenzae</it>, <it>S. agalactiae</it>, <it>S. pyogenes</it>, <it>S. pneumoniae</it> and against all the tested fungal strains. In addition, <it>E. odorata</it> oil showed the most cytotoxic effect. However, the best antiviral activity appeared with <it>E. bicostata</it>. Virus pretreatment with <it>E. bicostata</it> essential oil showed better antiviral activity (IC₅₀ = 0.7 mg/ml, SI = 22.8) than cell-pretreatment (IC₅₀ = 4.8 mg/ml, SI = 3.33). The essential oil of <it>E. astringens</it> showed antiviral activity only when incubated with virus prior to cell infection. This activity was dose-dependent and the antiviral activity diminished with the decreasing essential oil concentration.</p